University of Texas Announces New Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs

The University of Texas (UT) says that millions of Texans have started college, but never completed a bachelor’s degree. The census statistics appear to back UT’s analysis up: in 2000 29% of the population had some college credits but no degree, or had made it to the associate’s level but not beyond. Commuting to campus can be difficult when you’re working or raising a family, or both

Beginning fall 2010, the University of Texas System will offer the Bachelor’s Accelerated Completion program – the BAC – a group of fully online bachelor degrees. Courses will run every six to eight weeks, so that working adults can finish out their bachelor’s degree faster. According to the University, “You’ll be learning from expert UT faculty, and your diploma will come from an accredited UT institution.”

Once an applicant has reached agreement with the University on transferrable credits, a university counselor will assist in working out the academic requirements for completion of a bachelor’s degree. The options available in this first year of operation are essentially liberal arts degrees that vary in areas of focus. Students enroll with the campus that is offering the online program and will receive a degree from that campus upon completion.

From the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) there will be the Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies. From the Arlington campus online degree students will be studying for a Bachelor or Arts in University Studies. And from the campus in the Permian Basin the available degree will be a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities.

Completion programs already in place through UT’s TeleCampus include the bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and in health services technology. The University has been offering online courses for ten years, many of which lead to graduated degrees such as the MBA and several masters’ in education options. The school also has many online certificate programs, two of which reflect the state’s location and ethnic mix: one is in border administration and the other an ESL program.

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